Just call 168 Ludlow Street a rite of passage for fast casual concepts. The former home of Tpoutine (Canadian french fries) and La Montanara (fried pizza) recently became home to another tenant: San Diego-style rolled taco specialist Taquitoria. We suppose it was only a matter of time before taquitos--those deep-fried, cigar shaped portals of pleasure--had their moment in the sun. (The torta continues to wait patiently in the shadows, longing for the day when it will be able to exploit a tear in the burrito's floury shell.)

There is a new microbrewery opening at 265 Bowery, but don't expect to find scrappy, Warby Parker-wearing brewmasters hanging by the tap. This brewery makes real German bier, and it comes by way of an international brand: Paulaner Brauhaus & Restaurant NYC may be the first Paulaner International brauhaus in the United States, but it joins a line-up of 25 locations around the world--including outposts in China, Spain, and Brazil. But don't get your hand-crocheted undies in a bunch over the fact that this is a chain.

For the last two years, Thanaruek "Eh" Laoraowirodge has been feeding the people of Bangkok somtum der, a version of green papaya salad that's native to his hometown of Khon Kaen in the northeastern Isan region of Thailand. "Thai people like to eat this kind of food," he explains. "We focused on the authenticity of papaya salad. Most papaya salad in Bangkok adjusted to the Bangkok palate."

Now, he's opening a second branch of his eatery here in New York City: Somtum Der is slated to debut in the East Village next week.